TGIF, and I can ramble... on RIP well loved things

For once I don't mean chocolate, that is a given.

Hi all, this is a Raven rambles post, because well, why not?

You see I was baking and cooking dinner the other day, (yes I do tear myself away from writing on occasion, honestly) and realised I was no longer using equipment that belonged to my mum.

It's no secret I'm a bus pass holding Grandma, so these particular implements, a colander and a cooling tray had got to have been over half a century old. I can remember them as a child, when I 'helped' mum in the kitchen.

The colander had a loose handle that wouldn't tighten any more and the tray was more than a bit bent and battered and wouldn't sit straight. I seem to remember my dad trying to reshape it for some reason or another at some time. But they were still working and were a lot sturdier than similar equipment I've purchased a lot more recently.

Were I hear you say? Yeah sadly last week they both fell to bits and went to the great cooking equipment cemetery in the sky. The tip.

This got me to thinking about my, and I'm sure other peoples fascination with old things, not necessarily antique. Until my last house move, I had my mum's mincer, not that I ever minced left over Sunday roasts to make shepherd's pie or whatever. But up until them, I had it tucked away in the back of a cupboard somewhere, probably with a crucial nut or bolt missing. Yeah bye bye mincer.

Ditto my nan's 'china' t-service, chips, cracks and all. Not a valuable make, just a few cups and saucers bought off East Lane Market in London, but it was hers so it stayed for years until the cracks decided to be chasms.

Am I the only one who is sentimental? I kept my kids old school reports , just like my mum kept mine and hubby's mum kept his.) Some of them he wishes she hadn't.)

Nothing had great monetary value (I wish) but it's the memories isn't it? The way you can weave stories around a teaspoon or a piece of material.

I love pottering around junk shops, and once, long wondered if I could get a five foot pottery giraffe in my hold luggage. No I couldn't but it would have looked great in my study.

In today's throw away world, it's good to have these reminders of the past, and I've decided that's why I, and luckily lots of you as well, like reading books set in past times.

As you know I've a love of the Regency period both writing and researching it, even though I do have a WW2 book out as well (Bomber's Moon). But (don't faint) the book I've just begun to write isn't set quite around 1818 which seems to be my favoured year. Remy's story is set in 1824. This is a whole new ball game so to speak. I'm getting down to reading and researching the era, and really enjoying myself.

And even baking the odd few buns whilst I'm at it. Oops time to take them out of the Aga. Sadly they'll cook on a flimsy baking tray, but I can still have my memories.

Happy reading, cooking or pottering, and have a great weekend,

Love Raven x